Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over what he described as a “hasty and thoughtless” removal of fuel subsidy, blaming the decision for the worsening economic hardship, inflation, hunger, and despair across Nigeria.
In a statement released on Sunday, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate also condemned the arrest and continued detention of labour activist Comrade Andrew Uche Emelieze, who was reportedly apprehended for attempting to organise a peaceful protest demanding the payment of overdue wage awards.
Atiku described Emelieze’s detention as “an affront to democracy, a slap in the face of every Nigerian worker, and a chilling reminder of the authoritarian drift of the Tinubu administration.”
He further took aim at Tinubu’s broken promise of a ₦35,000 monthly wage award to federal workers, which was meant to serve as a stopgap pending agreement on a new national minimum wage.
“It took the Tinubu administration a staggering 10 months to arrive at a new minimum wage figure,” Atiku stated, adding that “while several state governments have shown commendable responsibility in managing labour affairs, the Tinubu-led Federal Government has distinguished itself by its utter disdain for workers’ welfare.”
Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Emelieze, Atiku warned that continued repression of dissenting voices reflects a dangerous authoritarian trajectory.
“Nigerian workers will not be silenced, intimidated, or forgotten,” Atiku declared. “The economic hardship is real, the hunger is biting, and the government has a duty to act — not to repress.”
The comments add to growing criticism of the Tinubu administration’s handling of economic reforms, amid rising discontent among labour unions and citizens grappling with skyrocketing costs of living.